A promising start to a new series bolstered by engaging characters and an intriguing premise.
Two close friends discover they share surprising abilities and an unexpected connection in this YA SF thriller.
On the surface, Cooper Callister and Coupe Daschelete of Riding, Vermont, could not be any more different. Cooper was raised on a farm by his loving parents, Evelyn and Everett. Coupe lives with his single mother, Mary, and her boyfriend, Mark, and suffered horrific abuse at the hands of a local priest. Despite these distinctions, Cooper and Coupe develop an unbreakable bond and discover they have unique abilities. Cooper is physically strong and can get inside people’s heads while Coupe has extraordinarily keen senses. One day, the local police chief discovers surveillance photographs of a boy who resembles Coupe. The unidentified boy is a suspect in a series of disappearances but Coupe was nowhere near the crime scenes. Then Cooper and Coupe are abducted and taken to Deep Woods Academy in Maine. To their surprise, they learn they were created by geneticist Dr. Steven Stein as part of a project to make “better” humans. Stein calls the two boys and their siblings the Omicron Six. The geneticist is pleased with the project; but someone wants to put an end to his work and the threat may be closer than Cooper and Coupe realize. Wright’s series opener offers dynamic protagonists and supporting characters and fast-paced suspense. Cooper and Coupe are effective and likable heroes whose friendship and quest to figure out how they differ from their peers anchor the story. Some of the novel’s strongest moments focus on the boys’ connection and the positive effect it has on them, particularly Coupe, who finds a stable and supportive home with Cooper and his parents. The well-rounded supporting cast is led by Stein and three members of the Omicron Six, Cotovatre, Corwin, and Chase. The briskly paced narrative moves from bucolic Vermont to the woods of Maine as Cooper and Coupe discover more about the role the mysterious Stein plays in their lives.
A promising start to a new series bolstered by engaging characters and an intriguing premise.Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-67682-496-1
Page Count: 390
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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